Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. DEPE'W; GAR ooUPLING.

Patented Mar. 12, 1895.

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JAMES DEPEW, OF PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,361, dated March12, 1895.

Application led April 18, 1894:.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES DnPnw, a citizen of the United States, residingat Peekskill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specification. i

My invention relates to automat-ic coupling devices; and has for its object a coupling that will be reliable in use, and safe in itsmanipulation,as set forth in the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

Figure I of the drawings is a top.view of my coupling, partly incross-section. Fig. Il is an elevation of the same, also partly shown incross section through line 8 Fig. I. Fig. III is a top view of mycoupling showing its operation.

The numerals 1, 2, refer to timbers forming part of the framing of acar.

Thecoupling consists of a draw-head a pivoted at c to a block h whichlies between the hook-plates n, n. As the thrust of pulling comes uponthese plates they are let in the timbers l, l, as shown in the left handcoupling in Fig. I. The hook plates are slotted longitudinally to admitthe ends of the cross bars it', u. The block h is also slotted as inFigs. I and Il, and through this block the bars u', tt, are inserted. Asshown in Fig. I they are long enough for their ends to project into theslots in the plates n, n., as described. A rod w passes through them,and a spring o supported on said rod, keeps the bars apart, normally asshown in Fig. I. The block b is also provided with projections m on bothtop and bottom, as in Figs. I and II. Plates 7c and 7o secured to thetops and bottoms of the hook plates are provided with slots l, Z,through which the projections m pass. As thus inclosed between the hookplates n, n, and top and bottom plates 7.o, lo the block b can be movedback and forth to the extent of the spaces 7, 8, between the projectionsni. and the ends of the slots Z. The tendency of the spring o is to keepthe projections m in the center of the slot, as in Fig. II. If the blockbe pulled forward, it will be seen, by reference t0 Fig. I, that the baru will advance with it, against the tension of the spring. If the blockbe pushed backward the bar u will Serial No. 508,062. (No model.)

be carried in the same direction, against the spring. Thus the springacts as a cushion to relieve the concussion of a sudden pull either wayon the coupling.

The draw-head a consists of two parts, a, and the fork e, e. Within themain piece a a chamber s is cored out to receive this fork, which swingson the pintle o. Its inner end impinges against, or has attached to it,a stii spring r, which tends to keep the fork closed to its place, as inFig. I.

The draw-head terminates in a hook shaped head ci, its outer contourtaking a form to tit the inner face ofthe outer prong e of the hook e,e', the inner curve of the head corresponding with its outer curve,making a shape exactly conforming to the space inclosed by the head dand the hook e, c', so that when a pair of the draw-heads are united asin Fig. I they form a harmonious oval in their plan. 'When a pair ofthese draw-heads normally closed, that is with the hooks e-e in a closedposition, approach each other the points of the heads d will enter thespaces between the said heads and the ends of the prongs c, forcing themapartand allowing the heads to couple automatically, Without` anyattention whatever. The armfis attached to the prong e. From the armchain 7i extends to a wheel g', which is supported on a shaft t', havingan outer bearings. Turning the wheel by means of the leverjl the chainis wound on the wheel, causing the coupling to open, as in Fig. III. Ofcourse the shaft may be made operative from the top ofthe car, by any ofthe means commonly in use.

Fig. III illustrates the process of uncoupling. By throwing the leverjdownward the hook e, e', is caused to swing open to the position shown.In moving, the inner prong, e', bears against the opposite head d,forcing it from contact with itsA own coupling, pushing the two headsapart, and opening the hook of the opposite coupling. Normally thedrawheads are kept against stops 6 by means of the springs y. In the actof opening the couplings the resistance of the springs r in thedraw-heads reacts upon the springs y, permitting the draw-heads to swingon their pivots c, far enough to admit of the separation of the hookingheads d, as shown.

IOO

Flanges 5 on the under side of the draW- e, e,springrwithin thechamber-in said drawheads, and metal plates 4 on the timbers may headand acting upon seid hook, pivot c, slot- 15 be made to serve asbumpers. ted block b having extensions 1mm, and car- The headsdareslotted horizontally :it their rying bars u, u', spring o and rod w,hook 5 middle as shown by broken lines 7 Fig. II. By plates n, In,plates 7c, 7c', slotted to receive the means of this slot, and holes pfor coupling; projections m, m, timbersl, 2, 3, shoulders 6 pins, thiscoupling may be united to the cornand spring y, armfand chain operatingmechyo mon link coupling. anism, substantially as herein shown and de-Having described my invention, what I scribed.

1o claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, JAMES DEPEW.

is Witnesses:

The combination in a car coupling ot' the STANLEY LITTEL, draw-head aprovided with the head CZ, hook GEORGE A. S'roRMs.

